Main news and opinions, selected, compiled, and occasionally commented on by Mike Nova
Friday, February 19, 2016
NEWS: The World and Security Review: How ISIS Takes Revenge on Russia - The Daily Beast...
NEWS: The World and Security Review: How ISIS Takes Revenge on Russia - The Daily Beast...: isis and russia - Google Search How ISIS Takes Revenge on Russia - The Daily Beast 5 ISIS Weapons of War Russia Should Fear in Syria | Th...
NEWS: The World and Security Review: U.S. and Russia hold talks on Syria ceasefire ahea...
NEWS: The World and Security Review: U.S. and Russia hold talks on Syria ceasefire ahea...: U.S. Russia talks on Syria - Google Search Friday February 19 th , 2016 at 9:34 AM 1 Share US and Rus...
NEWS: The World and Security Review: » Report: Turkey presses ahead with cross-border s...
NEWS: The World and Security Review: » Report: Turkey presses ahead with cross-border s...: Mike Nova's Shared NewsLinks Review From The Major News Sources » Report: Turkey presses ahead with cross-border shelling ...
Sunday, September 27, 2015
M.N.: The current and emerging Middle East conflict is a complex "proxy war"... | Current Headlines
M.N.: The current and emerging Middle East conflict is a complex "proxy war" apparently "without reliable proxies" but with multiple players and "hidden hands"... | Current Headlines - 4:12 PM 9/27/2015
M.N.: The current and emerging Middle East conflict is a complex "proxy war" apparently "without reliable proxies" but with multiple players, "hidden hands" (see this review: "And now, the new wave of terrorism by IS works to Putin’s advantage given his problems in Ukraine." - Paul Goble) and various intertwined goals and objectives. It develops along the Sunni-Shia and the Russia (in alliance with Iran and China) - West divides. As much professed military wisdom goes it promises to be a "long (perpetual?) war" and its final outcome and reverberations remain to be seen after the dust settles and blood dries up. The question is the role and the scope of the U.S. participation in the most rational and efficient manner within some (still fluid and emerging) international framework and with the minimal risks and expenses for the country tired and disappointed with this almost unmanageable and almost senseless chaos and destruction. However, this chaos might be creative. The point is to help it to become creative and to try to see clearly if it is possible, through the fog of the present and sometimes rather confusing moment.
The "suddenly" (and very conveniently for Russian strategists) popped up (and readily fanned by pics and drama hungry media) migration crises in both the Europe and the USA, together with the other attempts at social and political destabilization (the examples are abound and not so hypothetical) might also be, at least in part, the results of some hidden movements of the same invisible hand.
"Мильоны — вас. Нас — тьмы, и тьмы, и тьмы.
Попробуйте, сразитесь с нами!
Да, Скифы — мы! Да, азиаты — мы, —
С раскосыми и жадными очами!"
Can this "hand" or "hands" be reprogrammed? It might be easier and smarter than the simple and crude amputation (which might be impossible anyway). This certainly is worth a try, without any guarantee of success and with multiple and yet unknown risks.

"Looking at the vacuum left by Obama’s retreating America, Putin seeks to position Russia again as a key Middle East player. How gratifying for him to have Israel’s Binyamin Netanyahu paying personal court in Moscow recently, in recognition of this enhanced role. Looking at the serial crises rocking the EU, from recession to Greece to migration, Putin hopes, as ever, to exacerbate and play upon European divisions. Looking at vulnerable borders from Estonia to Serbia, at the entire post-Soviet space including Georgia and Moldova, and at perceived Nato weakness, Putin sends submarines and nuclear bombers to dramatise his message: Russia is back. His rapid build-up in Syria is not, primarily, about vanquishing Isis, although Russia certainly has good reason to fear Islamist extremism. It is but a part of a bigger, ongoing international power-play fuelled by visceral hostility to the west."
The Observer view on Russia’s military intervention in Syriaby Observer editorial
Vladimir Putin bids for major world role as his forces move into Syria by Emma Graham-Harrison and Alec Luhn
The "suddenly" (and very conveniently for Russian strategists) popped up (and readily fanned by pics and drama hungry media) migration crises in both the Europe and the USA, together with the other attempts at social and political destabilization (the examples are abound and not so hypothetical) might also be, at least in part, the results of some hidden movements of the same invisible hand.
"Мильоны — вас. Нас — тьмы, и тьмы, и тьмы.
Попробуйте, сразитесь с нами!
Да, Скифы — мы! Да, азиаты — мы, —
С раскосыми и жадными очами!"
Can this "hand" or "hands" be reprogrammed? It might be easier and smarter than the simple and crude amputation (which might be impossible anyway). This certainly is worth a try, without any guarantee of success and with multiple and yet unknown risks.

"Tamer, 24, from Latakia, said that Russian-led military operations have already started, in apparent contradiction of claims from Moscow and the US secretary of state, John Kerry, that the posture of the new arrivals was defensive.
“The Russians participated in an operation with the regime last week,” Tamer said. “There has long been a planned deportation for the Sunnis in Latakia, and many of their houses were taken by the Iranians and Hezbollah. I believe this is the beginning of dividing the country.
“The Russians came now to rescue the Syrians because the opposition came very close to the Alawite villages in Jourin. They want to control that area because it is on a top of a hill and once they have it, they can control the valleys around it and secure them.”"
Russian planes bring fear and hope to Syrian city in Assad heartland by Martin Chulov
"Looking at the vacuum left by Obama’s retreating America, Putin seeks to position Russia again as a key Middle East player. How gratifying for him to have Israel’s Binyamin Netanyahu paying personal court in Moscow recently, in recognition of this enhanced role. Looking at the serial crises rocking the EU, from recession to Greece to migration, Putin hopes, as ever, to exacerbate and play upon European divisions. Looking at vulnerable borders from Estonia to Serbia, at the entire post-Soviet space including Georgia and Moldova, and at perceived Nato weakness, Putin sends submarines and nuclear bombers to dramatise his message: Russia is back. His rapid build-up in Syria is not, primarily, about vanquishing Isis, although Russia certainly has good reason to fear Islamist extremism. It is but a part of a bigger, ongoing international power-play fuelled by visceral hostility to the west."
The Observer view on Russia’s military intervention in Syriaby Observer editorial
“The Russian goal is to reassert their pivotal role in handling any global crisis,” said Jonathan Eyal, international director at the Royal United Services Institute thinktank. “Without Syria, a man known for aggression in Ukraine has to stand up and explain himself. Now everyone appears to have forgotten what happened in Ukraine and they [will be] hanging on every word. That’s quite a turnaround.”
"For now, Putin has made major gains for a relatively modest outlay, but he is playing politics with an unpredictable war. If Assad’s control slips further, Moscow may be faced with an uncomfortable choice between abandoning the Syrian dictator or making far more difficult sacrifices. “But in trying to reach this goal, he stepped onto a very dangerous track, which can move towards very difficult and maybe tragic things.”"
Vladimir Putin bids for major world role as his forces move into Syria by Emma Graham-Harrison and Alec Luhn
Current Headlines

- Bombshell: 'Washington Post' Confirms Hillary Clinton Started the Birther Movement - Breitbart
- No, pundits, Hillary Clinton isn't collapsing - LA Times
- Second-guessing Vladimir Putin's Intentions in Syria
- Putin Seeks Center Stage at UN Gathering | News | The Moscow Times
- Iraq Signs Collaboration Deal With Russia, Iran, Syria on ISIS Fight - WSJ
- Iraq Agrees to Share Intelligence on ISIS With Russia, Syria and Iran - The New York Times
- Russia preparing air strikes on Isil if US does not back deal to keep Assad - Telegraph
- How Putin Set the Stage for Talks With Obama on Syria
- Kerry, Lavrov discussed possible 'transition' in Syria: U.S. official | Reuters
- Putin's Syria gambit puts US on back foot at UN | Arab News
- Saudi Arabia repatriates overseas funds - FT.com
- Cameron hints he could work with Putin to defeat Islamic State — RT UK
- Iraq to share intelligence on IS with Russia, Iran and Syria - The Washington Post
- Iraq says Russia, Iran, Syria cooperating on security issues in Baghdad | Reuters
- Iraq to Share Intelligence to Fight Islamic State | TIME
- France Launches Airstrikes Against IS Targets in Syria
- French president says jet strikes destroyed Islamic State training camp in eastern Syrian - The Washington Post
- TheUnion local.com | TheUnion.com
- Saudi-led coalition helicopter attack kills 25 civilians in Yemen village: residents, medics | Reuters
- AP Interview: Egypt's Leader Says Country in 'Ferocious War' - ABC News
- Grandmaster of the great game - Le Monde diplomatique - English edition
- U.S. Special Ops forces deployed in 135 nations - Le Monde diplomatique - English edition
- David Cameron to call for new Syria peace drive at UN - BBC News
- Cameron drops demand for Assad to go, as he targets Isil - Telegraph
- Analysis: Europe’s Mideast peace push - Arab-Israeli Conflict - Jerusalem Post
- And when Abbas goes? - Le Monde diplomatique - English edition
- Nasrallah: Failure of US-led campaign against ISIS led to Russian involvement in Syria - Middle East - Jerusalem Post
- U.S. support for Syria rebels illegal, Putin says ahead of Obama meeting | Reuters
- France launches first airstrikes against Isis in Syria | World news | The Guardian
- The Observer view on Russia’s military intervention in Syria | Comment is free | The Guardian
- Vladimir Putin bids for major world role as his forces move into Syria | World news | The Guardian
- Russian planes bring fear and hope to Syrian city in Assad heartland | World news | The Guardian
- Is Russia Training Chechen Commandos to Help Syrian Government Forces? | The Jamestown Foundation
- Palestine Wants Military Training, Not Weapons From Russia - FM
- Iran's president uses UN speech to call for investigation into hajj stampede | World news | The Guardian
- Russian role in Syria still anyone's guess - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East
- Fighting IS: What has a year of RAF combat missions achieved? - BBC News
- UN: Islamic State Is Gaining Ground In Afghanistan
- Islamic State Inroads in Afghanistan Concern US
- Window on Eurasia -- New Series: Could or Should Moscow Create an ‘Anti-NATO’ Military Alliance?
- Saudi King orders Hajj safety review - YouTube
- Saudi prince Majed Abdulaziz Al-Saud accused of sex crimes during three-day party in Beverly Hills house | Daily Mail Online
- Is Iran deal stopping regional cooperation? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East
- Jeremy Corbyn: 'Trotskyists and Communists welcome' - Labour conference live - Telegraph
- AP News in Brief at 5:58 a.m. EDT - Washington Times
- Blast Near Ukraine State Security Office In Odesa
- The Unending Saga of Ukrainian Reforms - Lawfare
- Azerbaijani Prosecutors Investigate RFE/RL Contributor
- Ian Bremmer on the Foreign Policy Must Reads of the Week
- China Joins Russia in Fight Against ISIS in Syria | EUTimes.net
- Obama, Xi make a toast for further cooperation - YouTube
- TheUnion local.com | TheUnion.com - Page2RSS
- New York City Mayor Meets With Cuban President Castro - ABC News
- Cuban leader Raul Castro addresses...
- Jerusalem Post Editorial: UN bias - Opinion - Jerusalem Post
- Israel's soaring population: Promised Land running out of room? - Israel News - Jerusalem Post
- Record numbers of migrants enter Macedonia - YouTube
- Syrian refugees: U.S. Give Additional $419 million
- Obama Backs Away From Sanctions on China for Cyber Attacks - Washington Free Beacon
- Intelligence-Driven Encryption Backdoors Undermine U.S. Security | International Affairs Review
- Shielded by the law: Police shootings in Washington difficult to prosecute | State News | yakimaherald.com
- Pope to Visit Prison, Celebrate Farewell Mass
- How Syria Divided the World by Michael Ignatieff | NYR Daily | The New York Review of Books
- sunni - shia divide - Google Search
- russia role in creating isis - Google Search
- isis and price of oil - Google Search
- NEWS: The World and Security Review: Current Headlines - 11:50 AM 9/27/2015
- Securing Europe’s health: The mounting challenge of migration – POLITICO
- The Latest: Saudis reject gay rights in development goals - The Washington Post
- Bombshell: 'Washington Post' Confirms Hillary Clinton Started the Birther Movement - Breitbart
- No, pundits, Hillary Clinton isn't collapsing - LA Times
- Second-guessing Vladimir Putin's Intentions in Syria
- Putin Seeks Center Stage at UN Gathering | News | The Moscow Times
- Iraq Signs Collaboration Deal With Russia, Iran, Syria on ISIS Fight - WSJ
- Iraq Agrees to Share Intelligence on ISIS With Russia, Syria and Iran - The New York Times
- Russia preparing air strikes on Isil if US does not back deal to keep Assad - Telegraph
- How Putin Set the Stage for Talks With Obama on Syria
- Kerry, Lavrov discussed possible 'transition' in Syria: U.S. official | Reuters
- Putin's Syria gambit puts US on back foot at UN | Arab News
- Saudi Arabia repatriates overseas funds - FT.com
- Cameron hints he could work with Putin to defeat Islamic State — RT UK
- Iraq to share intelligence on IS with Russia, Iran and Syria - The Washington Post
- Iraq says Russia, Iran, Syria cooperating on security issues in Baghdad | Reuters
- Iraq to Share Intelligence to Fight Islamic State | TIME
- France Launches Airstrikes Against IS Targets in Syria
- French president says jet strikes destroyed Islamic State training camp in eastern Syrian - The Washington Post
- TheUnion local.com | TheUnion.com
- Saudi-led coalition helicopter attack kills 25 civilians in Yemen village: residents, medics | Reuters
- AP Interview: Egypt's Leader Says Country in 'Ferocious War' - ABC News
- Grandmaster of the great game - Le Monde diplomatique - English edition
- U.S. Special Ops forces deployed in 135 nations - Le Monde diplomatique - English edition
- David Cameron to call for new Syria peace drive at UN - BBC News
- Cameron drops demand for Assad to go, as he targets Isil - Telegraph
- Analysis: Europe’s Mideast peace push - Arab-Israeli Conflict - Jerusalem Post
- And when Abbas goes? - Le Monde diplomatique - English edition
- Nasrallah: Failure of US-led campaign against ISIS led to Russian involvement in Syria - Middle East - Jerusalem Post
- U.S. support for Syria rebels illegal, Putin says ahead of Obama meeting | Reuters
- France launches first airstrikes against Isis in Syria | World news | The Guardian
- The Observer view on Russia’s military intervention in Syria | Comment is free | The Guardian
- Vladimir Putin bids for major world role as his forces move into Syria | World news | The Guardian
- Russian planes bring fear and hope to Syrian city in Assad heartland | World news | The Guardian
- Is Russia Training Chechen Commandos to Help Syrian Government Forces? | The Jamestown Foundation
- Palestine Wants Military Training, Not Weapons From Russia - FM
- Iran's president uses UN speech to call for investigation into hajj stampede | World news | The Guardian
- Russian role in Syria still anyone's guess - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East
- Fighting IS: What has a year of RAF combat missions achieved? - BBC News
- UN: Islamic State Is Gaining Ground In Afghanistan
- Islamic State Inroads in Afghanistan Concern US
- Window on Eurasia -- New Series: Could or Should Moscow Create an ‘Anti-NATO’ Military Alliance?
- Saudi King orders Hajj safety review - YouTube
- Saudi prince Majed Abdulaziz Al-Saud accused of sex crimes during three-day party in Beverly Hills house | Daily Mail Online
- Is Iran deal stopping regional cooperation? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East
- Jeremy Corbyn: 'Trotskyists and Communists welcome' - Labour conference live - Telegraph
- AP News in Brief at 5:58 a.m. EDT - Washington Times
- Blast Near Ukraine State Security Office In Odesa
- The Unending Saga of Ukrainian Reforms - Lawfare
- Azerbaijani Prosecutors Investigate RFE/RL Contributor
- Ian Bremmer on the Foreign Policy Must Reads of the Week
- China Joins Russia in Fight Against ISIS in Syria | EUTimes.net
- Obama, Xi make a toast for further cooperation - YouTube
- TheUnion local.com | TheUnion.com - Page2RSS
- New York City Mayor Meets With Cuban President Castro - ABC News
- Cuban leader Raul Castro addresses...
- Jerusalem Post Editorial: UN bias - Opinion - Jerusalem Post
- Israel's soaring population: Promised Land running out of room? - Israel News - Jerusalem Post
- Record numbers of migrants enter Macedonia - YouTube
- Syrian refugees: U.S. Give Additional $419 million
- Obama Backs Away From Sanctions on China for Cyber Attacks - Washington Free Beacon
- Intelligence-Driven Encryption Backdoors Undermine U.S. Security | International Affairs Review
- Shielded by the law: Police shootings in Washington difficult to prosecute | State News | yakimaherald.com
- Pope to Visit Prison, Celebrate Farewell Mass
- How Syria Divided the World by Michael Ignatieff | NYR Daily | The New York Review of Books
- sunni - shia divide - Google Search
- russia role in creating isis - Google Search
- isis and price of oil - Google Search
- NEWS: The World and Security Review: Current Headlines - 11:50 AM 9/27/2015
- Securing Europe’s health: The mounting challenge of migration – POLITICO
- The Latest: Saudis reject gay rights in development goals - The Washington Post
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